Before the Scar
by writeremily
Summary: Before the scar, before their deaths, Lily and James were a perfect couple in an imperfect world. Follows their relationship.


_BEFORE THE SCAR_

_There will be more Jily next, I promise you! I'm just getting in my flow, if you have any suggestions, please review and mention them. This is the year before Lily became Head-Girl. __**READ AND REVIEW, I LOVE YOU.**_

* * *

Winter has arrived, and with it came a rapid decrease in temperature; students now wore thick coats and gloves to pass through the courtyards, woollen scarves covering their mouths. Any exposed skin would turn raw from the sheer cold, Lily knew. She was sitting beside the fire, revelling in the heat. Her hands clasped the book she had been reading shut as she analysed the Common Room. It was bustling today, as was expected. Most were doing homework or otherwise complaining about the amount of it. Others stared outside the widow hoping for snow. James Potter and Remus Lupin were setting out a chessboard and Lily watched them for longer than she had intended.

Mary, her friend, was struggling to translate some Runes. "This is going to be the death of me," she declared, setting down her quill. "Why did I choose to do this?"

"It's easy, that one," Lily said, smiling. She inspected Mary's translation and laughed, taking her own from her bag. "Here, have a look through mine. It's not perfect, mind you."

"Close enough," Mary remarked and began scribbling out her imitation, making insignificant errors so as to remove suspicion.

Lily diverted her attention from the parchment back to James and Remus playing chess. Remus was quite evidently winning; James, as Lily knew, was far too fierce and arrogant for such a quiet and deceitful game. His next actions were blatant.

It began to rain outside, washing away hopes of snow. Just as Lily was about to intervene and tell James that he shouldn't move his pawn because he would be in checkmate, Emmeline Vance arrived before her. Mary and Lily looked up at her questioningly. "Snape's outside," she told Lily. "He wants to talk to you, he says it's important."

This caught the attention of the whole Common Room, including James; Lily couldn't read his expression, but as she pulled herself up and vacated she was certain he watched her.

* * *

Severus was waiting for her, his pallid skin yellowish in the faint light. He regarded her as if he had never seen her before, as if she had just come to Hogwarts. "Sev," she said, her tone light, "I hope by important you don't mean Potions homework."

He grinned at her. "Lily, we need to talk; I have to tell you something." She nodded her consent, yet her mind was not with her; it was back in the Common Room where she knew she belonged.

"It's about Lucius," Severus continued. "He's been saying all this stuff, Lil. Stuff that could get him expelled and -"

"That's hardly important," Lily intervened. "They are just empty threats. He just wants attention and you're giving it to him."

"No, Lily, you don't understand it's about if you have no Wizarding blood in you; he says it's the Hufflepuffs."

"Why are you telling me this? You value Muggleborns, that's all that matters. He can think that all he wants, so long as he doesn't act on it. He was probably taken out of context anyway." She was trying to keep her cool, but every insult towards her blood status seeped through a crevice in her indifferent exterior. It hurt. She didn't want to discuss it anymore, not now. "I'm going back now."

She allowed him a soft smile, turned and entered the Common Room. Yet she wished she had stayed with Severus longer almost immediately after, not only because of the guilt, but because of what she saw. James and Mary were laughing with each other, imitating how Amos Diggory's face looked when he was playing Quidditch. She, without knowing why, stormed up the stairs, leaving her bag behind, and un-noticed by James and Mary.

When she was laid on her bed listening to the rain outside, her thoughts were suddenly shining in their clarity. It wasn't that she LIKED James, it was just because of what Severus had said. James was nothing to do with anything, she told herself. She wished she was a Pureblood, then Petunia would be with her. They were supreme and she was inferior; this was what Tuney felt, and she hated it. Mary and James were Purebloods, she cursed herself for thinking yet again of them; they were not worthy of her thoughts. However when she descended the stairs to collect her things she felt such an intense loathing to Mary she had to avoid looking at her for fear it would show.


End file.
